Downhole packers are commonly used downhole in applications such as isolating zones in a wellbore. Such packers may comprise swellable components that swell under the action of fluid in the well bore to form a seal between a pipe to which it is attached and the inside diameter of the wellbore or bore casing.
The seal quality of the packer is an important factor in packer design. Improving the seal quality can allow the packer to operate at and withstand higher pressures or allow a shorter packer to be used at the same differential pressure.
Patent documents US 2011/0088892A1, GB 2427420A, US 2010/0288486A1, WO 2011/020987A2, and EP 2246522A3 suggest the use of an intermediate member between an end ring and a seal in order to improve the quality of the seal.